Wrangell History Unlocked is an ongoing project to document the history of Wrangell, Alaska — one story at a time.
Wrangell, Alaska sits near the mouth of the Stikine River, an ancient passageway for Tlingit, Haida, Tahltan, Tsimshian, and other Indigenous people. These groups continue to live on their ancestral land, and their history influences and touches every topic in Wrangell history.
The idea of Wrangell has evolved over time. To the Tlingit, it was Ḵaachx̱ana.áakʼw, a village wrapped inside the harbor. To the Russians in 1834, it was Redoubt Saint Dionysius, a trading post. The British took over the trading post and made the name Fort Stikine. But in 1868, the US Army brought the name that stuck: Fort Wrangel.
As one of the earliest American settlements in Alaska, Wrangell is a place of historic firsts, landmark achievements, and iconic figures of Alaska history. Topics related to Wrangell history continue to be important issues of discussion today.
The Letter That Brought
The Christmas
The Rise & Fall of the
Who Killed
Researching the
Wrangell Votes for
The Mystery of
The Store That Sold Out Wrangell
The Fire On the Mountain
Killer Whale Grave Totem
Tillie Paul-Tamaree and
How It Got Its Name
Getting Around